CALGARY, ALBERTA – Hockey Canada, along with the Canadian Hockey League, today named the 22-man roster that will form Canada’s National Under-18 Team for the Under-18 World Championships in Ceske Budejovice and Plzen, Czech Republic, April 14-24, 2005. In addition, Guelph Storm defenceman Ryan Parent was selected as the team captain.

Twelve of the twenty-two players named to today’s roster bring previous international experience, having played with Canada’s U-18 program on last August’s gold medal summer team.

“We are pleased with the players we have selected to represent our Country at this year’s world championships,” said Hockey Canada’s Head Scout Blair Mackasey, who has been scouting Canadian players from coast to coast. “We have good experience from last August’s gold medal team and we believe this group of players will be in a strong position to challenge again.”

Ryan Parent has experience wearing the captain’s jersey having represented his team in that role on the U-18 Gold Medal team last summer. The 6’1.5, 185lb rearguard was also a member of the OHL Champion Guelph Storm in 2003-04 and won a gold medal and was team captain of Team Ontario at the 2004 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in St.John’s, Nfld.

“Ryan is a natural leader who has tremendous respect from his teammates,” said Team Canada’s Head Coach Shawn Camp. “With the experience he has gained from previous international competition, we believe he is the correct choice to lead our team in this year’s world championships.”

Canada’s U-18 National Team will depart for the World Championship from Toronto on April 8th.  Canada’s Under 18 team will train in Switzerland from April 9-12th and play two exhibition games versus Switzerland and Finland prior to the start of the tournament in the Czech Republic. The team is comprised of players under 18 years old (born in 1987) whose teams are not playing in either the CHL, Junior A or collegiate playoffs.

Canada's National Under-18 Program consists of two separate teams, assembled twice a year: the National Under-18 Summer Program (August) and the National Under-18 World Championship Team.  The 2005 IIHF U18 World Championship marks the fourth time that Canada has participated at this World Championship event, winning gold in 2003 and finishing 4th place last year. At the Under-18 Junior World Cup in Slovakia last August, Canada won its 8th gold medal having captured gold now at eight of the previous nine events that have been held in the month of August.

Canada’s Under-18 program and the Summer Development Camp are part of Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence beginning with the regional Under-17 teams and ending with the National Junior Team. The primary objectives of the Under-18 program are to identify, evaluate and condition players to the rigors of international competition by giving them their first exposure to international hockey and travel. Many of these Under-18 players will move on to play with Canada’s National Junior team.

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TORONTO – FRIDAY, APRIL 8TH

The team will practice in Brampton, ON at the Brampton (ON) Centre for Sports & Entertainment at 10:00 A.M. (ET) on Friday, April 8th before departing from Toronto, ON at 5:30 P.M. (EST) on Air Canada Flight 872.